Bottle crate



Nov'. 15, 1938. J, A, HOPWOOD 2,137,114'

l BOTTLE CRATE Filed March l1, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1 INVENTOR. Jah/7 14. Hopwooo ATTORNEY.

Nov. 1 5-, 1938.` J. A. HoPWooD 2,137,114

' BOTTLE CRATE y Filed March 11, 1935 2 s'ets-sneet 2 N N I L- KMMVQ INVENTOR. .Jo/7n fl. Hopw0od`. y

Y .Y fm@ f ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 15, 1938 KPA'rrzNT OFFICE BOTTLE CRATE John A. Hopwood, Great Neck, N. Y.

Application March 11,

2 Claims.

I'his invention is a bottle crate intended more particularly for the retail distribution of milk, and the invention is directed primarily to a crate, so constructed that a plurality of such 53-1 crates may be readily stacked in superimposed relation and in a manner to maintain vertical alinement `of the walls of the crates so stacked. Stacking devices on 'bottle crates have long been used and the present invention is directed i to certain improvements `in the` crate construction, wherein the stacking device may be eco- V nomically'manufactured and associated with the crate in the course of manufacture of the latter. To this end, the so-called stacking iron is, ac-

' cording tothe present invention, formed independently of the corner irons of the crate and is adapted to be attached thereto and to the crate mainly by the means which holds the crate in assembled relation, said means serving fur- 20. ther to attach to the crate a metallic runner, which will provide a flat surface while adapted to cooperate with stacking irons of another crate of the same kind, when a plurality of such crates are stacked in order that wear may be minimized and a firm stack produced and one which will not be apt to wobble or fall over.

With these objects in mind,'the present invention consists in novel details of construction,

more specifically set forth in the following de? 3.9.; tailed description, shown in the accompanying drawings and set forth in the appended claims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate different practical embodiments of the invention, but

the constructions therein shown are to be una@ derstood vas illustrative, only, and not as defining the limits of the invention.

Figure 1 is a fragmental perspective of one corner of a crate embodying the present invention, showing a portion of the upper edge of the 40.crate and similar parts of two of the vertical walls thereof.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, but showing the parts of the crate construction partially dismantledr in order that their individual 45vv structures may be more clearly illustrated.

`Figure 3 is a plan view of one of the stacking irons with an associated cover cap to which the stacking iron is attached.

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig- 50ure 3.

' Figure 5 is an edge View of the assembly shown in Figure 3 looking .from the right hand side of the latter figure. Y

Figure 6V is a view similar to Figure 4, but {iQ-yillustrating a Vmodied form of construction.V

1935, Serial No. 10,362

Figure 7 is a fragmental perspective view showing the lower portion of the crate and looking up from the bottom thereof with the metallic parts of the structure partially dismantled to more clearly disclose their structures.

The crate of thev present invention embodies fourY walls arranged in rectangular relation. These walls maybe solid, if desired, butk are shown as embodying a plurality of lslats I, ar-

ranged in superimposed relation, so that the crate 10 embodies in effect a plurality of slat frames arl ranged in superimposed relation to form the four sides of the crate.

At each of the four corners of the crate is provided a corner iron 2, the opposite ends of 15 which are provided with upper tongues 3 and lower tongues v4 arranged in right angular relation to one anotherto overlie the upper and lower edges of the crate, as shown best in Figures 2 and 7. The upper edges of the crate are provided 2o with recesses 5 to receive the tongues 3, while the lower edges of the crate are recessed at 6 to receive the lower tongues 4. The recesses 6 are made deep enough, so that, when the tongues 4 occupy them, the lower faces of the tongues are 25 flush with the remainder of the bottom edges of the crate, while the recesses 5 are made somewhat deeper, so as to not only receive the tongues 3but also to receive corner caps 1, so that the upper faces of the latter are iiush with the upper edges of the crate walls. Each of the corner caps 'l is in the form of a substantially flat plate provided at its inner and outer margins with depending anges 8, which are adapted to eX- tend down over the interior and exterior surfaces of the walls of the crate for a distance to protect the ends of the slats against splitting and the outer flanges are offset, as shown at 9, so as to provide for the thickness of the corner irons and insure that the anges 8 will closely 40 hug the corner irons and the surfaces of the crate walls to form a tight iit therewith.

The stacking irons are madeseparate from the corner caps 'I and are in the form of stamped or pressed sheet metal of relatively heavy gauge to give sufficient strength. Each stacking iron comprises a at, right angular plate I0 at the inner angle of which is formed an upstanding hollow boss II having outer inclined sides I2 and a substantially flat top I3 which merges 50 into the inclined sides l2 with sweeping curves I4., so as to eliminate all angles which might catch when stacking crates in superimposed re- 1ation. The flat top portion I3 is amply supported .on two of its sides by the inclined porl tions I2, which cooperate with one another in supporting the flat top when shocks are received by the latter, and said inclined sides I2 also diverge from the flat top in the direction of the plate I0, so as to give maximum strength in the structure to preclude bending or deformation under hard usage.

The free edge of the at top I3 is preferably curved out slightly, as shown at I5, so as to give the at top a somewhat larger area than would otherwise be the case and thus protect wooden parts of other crates from damage when brought in contact therewith. All of the edges of the stacking iron are preferably rounded, so as to give no sharp edges.

Each stacking iron is adapted to rest on the upper surface of one of the corner caps 'I and to be secured thereto and to the crate primarily by the means which holds the other parts of the crate in assembled relation. To this end, the plate Ill of each stacking iron is provided with countersunk holes I6 adapted to cooperate and aline with similarly formed holes I'I in the corner cap and the holes in these two parts are so positioned as to register or aline with holes -IB in 'the upper tongues 3 of the corner irons 2 and holes I9 in the several superimposed bars I of the walls of the crate, so that tie rods 20 may be passed successively through the stacking irons, corner caps 'I, tongues 3 and the several slats I to secure the corner irons, corner caps and stacking irons to one another and to the slats of the crate in order that the said parts of the crate may be held in assembled relation by the tie rods 20. The upper ends of the tie rods are headed, as shown at 2l, and these heads are received in the countersunk holes I6 to give a substantially flush upper surface to the plate I0.

Tie rods 20, after passing downwardly through said several parts described, and as shown in Figure 2, are adapted to pass through holes 22 in the lower tongues 4 of the corner irons and thence through holes 23 in a metallic runner 24, as shown in Figure '7, said latter holes 23 being countersunk to give a flush lower surface to the runner and the rods 20 being headed within said countersunk holes.

The runner 24 is constructed from sheet metal and comprises a bottom plate 25, all parts of which occupy the same horizontal plane, so as to give a perfectly flat bottom and at the lateral edges of this iiat plate 25 are upstanding iianges 26 which extend upwardly over the inner and outer surfaces of the bottom slats and. over the corresponding edges of the lower tongues 4, so as to completely enclose and conceal such lower edges and the tongues and to also enclose and conceal the lower recesses 6 in which said tongues are received.

The plate 25 is of a length to extend along the complete length of the side wall with which it is associated and is turned at the adjacent corners of the crate and extends for a distance along the two adjacent side walls, so that said plate may be said to be U-shaped. As stated, it is provided with the flanges 26 along its entire extent, so that said flanges conceal the edges, tongues and recesses, as stated, and at the same time reinforce the edges of the crate in such manner as to preclude splitting or splintering thereof. Said flanges are, as shown, offset slightly at 2'I to provide for the extra thickness vof the corner angles and to permit said flanges 26 k to closely hug the corner irons and the slats, and, if desired, the runner 24 may have a forced lit with these parts or may be pressed firmly against said parts, so as to thereby form an anchorage which will preclude rattling and help to hold the runners in place.

It will be understood, however, that the walls of the crate and all of the metal parts which I have described, are held in assembled relation by the tie rods 20, which are threaded through the parts in succession and headed over While the parts are held under compression in order to produce a tight construction with the rods 20 under more or less tension, so that rattling of the parts will be precluded. It should be noted in this connection that each of the corner irons is provided with external shouldered bosses 28, so positioned that, when the tie rods are headed over, the edges of the flanges 26 and 8 will be drawn tightly to a seat on these bosses. This serves two purposes, first, it helps to take up the tension of the tie rods, and, secondly, these bosses serve as camming surfaces, so that if the corner of the crate is moved vertically while in engagement with some extraneous objects, the boss will fend olic the crate or object, so that the free edges of the ilanges 8 will not be caught and deformed.

By providing a fiat bottom or plane surfacel runner as described, this runner will rest at on the plate I0 of the stacking iron, when crates are stacked and will form a proper seat therewith, so as to give a firm stack which will not tilt or fall over. At the same time, the flanges 26 on the inner edges of the runner form at the corner a rrn metal angle to cooperate with the raised extension of the stacker to be guided thereby as the crates are stacked into true vertical alinement without undue Wear on the parts and Without contact between the metal parts and the wooden parts of the vcrate during the stacking operation.

As the tie rods 2E] are spaced some little distance from the corner in order to properly secure the slats together without splitting, there may be some tendency under the most hard usage for the stacking irons to lift slightly at their outer corners and for this reason, I preferably permanently anchor them down in this region. This may vbe accomplished by kthe use of a rivet 29 passed through perforations 30' and 3| in the stacking iron and corner cap and headed over and properly countersunk, so that the parts are anchored together in the region stated. In lieu of rivet 29, I may, however, punch out a projection 32 from either the stock of the corner cap or the stacking iron and then perforate the other part, so that the projection 32 may extend through the perforation and then be crushed or headed, as shown in Figure 6, to provide integral anchoring means. I do not consider this anchorage as an absolute essential, but it is preferably employed for the reasons stated.

It will be understood that the runner 24 may extend along either the longer sides or the shorter sides of the crate, as may be desired,V the invention not being restricted in this connection.

I have not attempted to show in the accompanying drawings, the interior of the crate construction, as this may consist in any approved means for dividing the interior of the crate into individual compartments for the bottles to properly support the bottles in said compartments. Y

The foregoing detailed description sets forth the invention in its preferred practical form, but

the invention is to be understood as fully commensurate with the appended claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A bottle crate comprising four walls, each consisting of superimposed slats, corner irons at the four corners of the crate provided adjacent A the upper and lower edges of the crate with external shouldered bosses, 'c'ornerrcaps overlying the upper four corners of the crate and provided with depending anges at their inner and outer edges to overlap the inner and outer faces of the uppermost slats and seat upon the upper shoul-V dered bosses of the corner irons, runnersA extending along the lower edges of two opposite v walls of the crate for the Lfull length thereof and for a portion of the length of the other two opposite walls of the crate and having at the inner and outer edges of said runners upstanding flanges overlying the inner and outer faces of the lowermost slats of the crate land seating against the lower shouldered bosses of the corner irons,

and Ytie rods extending vertically through the slats and throughA the caps and runners to secure the caps and runners together and to the interposed slats.

ners of the crate and provided with upstanding flanges seated on the lower shoulder bosses of the corner irons, and tie rods extending vertically throughthe wallsof the cratek and an-A chored with respect to said top and bottom plates to secure the respective top and bottom plates vtoy one another and to the interposed Walls.

'JOHN A. Horwoon.V v 

